


Manhandled

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s04e16 California 47th
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-04-26
Updated: 2003-04-26
Packaged: 2019-05-31 03:31:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15110894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: 'Since when do I shrink from fights?'





	Manhandled

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Manhandled**  
**by:** Kasey

**Character(s):** Sam (he's ba-ack!)  
**Category(s):** POST-EP: Ca47  
**Rating:** YTEEN **Disclaimer:** I don't own them. If I did, Sam would be staying put in the White House. Unfortunately, he's leaving, so I'm writing him anyway J  
**Summary:** "Since when do I shrink from fights?"  


Y'know what? Donna did what Josh asked her to do, she had no way of knowing the guy was a communist and even if he was - so what? She wasn't appointing him Secretary of the Treasury or anything, she ate breakfast with him. And though it just so happened that an idiot reporter decided to take a picture right then and there, in order ot screw with me even more than they've already done, it certainly doesn't require stooping to the level of name-calling. 

To say nothing of the fact that they had been driving me nuts from the beginning. This is exactly why I wanted Will as my campaign manager, not Scott - because I knew Will wouldn't do this. I knew he might from time to time disagree with me but at the very least he would respect me and not start trying to handle me. 

That and, because he's smart, I knew he wouldn't' disagree with me all that often. 

They act like just because I've never been the candidate before that I just fell off a turnip truck in Indiana. They seem to think that I'm a newcomer to politics and have never had to work on a campaign in an unfriendly district before, as though I didn't spend the first five years of my time in politics in this very county trying to help Democrats win. 

And for the first time, honest to God, the Republicans are having to WORK to win at this. 

I would much rather lose by saying what I believe than I would win by being manhandled. 

And of all the - I'm supposed to oppose making college affordable? I was talking to *teachers* last night, thanking them for bringing students with them, talking about the importance of educating future generations. So logically today I'm supposed to come out in opposition to sending those kids to college, which was - by the way and for the record - a plan I helped come up with. Actually it was more Josh and Toby than me, but a few people thought it was me anyway... it had all the trappings of a Seaborn plan. 

They talk about how I can't look bad, but which looks worse: accidentally shutting down a highway, which wasn't my fault? Or having absolutely no courage of my convictions, no moral absolution? 

It's bad enough that many of my morals oppose some of what the people in this district stand for, but at least I have the respect of some for standing up and saying upopular things and KNOWING they're unpopular. At least I get credit for saying what I think because everyone knows I wouldn't just make this stuff up and say it to try and win. 

I don't' like being manhandled. I don't like being treated like I'm stupid, Donna's stupid, the White House is stupid. We may not live out there like the other people but we have done this before, y'know - and from what I hear, the presidential election of 2002 was a close race until we blew it wide open at the end. 

What would I know about that? Oh yeah - I crafted his stump speeches. And staffed the President. 

And if I recall, he got angry with me because I was handling him too much. 

So it's not just me, being petulant. It's a rule: you don't handle the candidates, not if you want to keep your job. 

Especially not when I'm the candidate in question. 

I didn't like being handled by Josh and Toby then, I certainly don't like it now, but they at least know when I know what I'm doing and back off. Or if they disagree, they tell me so instead of switching my schedule at the last minute or trying to conceal things from me. 

...Most of the time. 


End file.
